Air wrench



H. P. PHILLIPS Jan. 24, 1950 AIR WRENCH Filed Sept. 27, 1946 INVENTOR.

M w m wa m fi P0 M M Patented Jan. 24, 1950 AIR WRENCH Harold P.Phillips, Hastings, Mich., assignor to Hastings Manufacturing Company,Hastings,

Mich.

Application September 27, 1946,.Serial No. 699,738

This invention relates to improvements in an air wrench.

The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a fixture for utilizing air or other fluid pressure totighten or loosen work pieces on a threaded arbor.

Second, to provide a fluid pressure operated fixture arranged toradially close the gaps of a series of piston ring blanks and clamp theblanks axially around a threaded arbor so thatthe gaps will remainclosed after the radial clamping force is removed.

Third, to provide a fixture for clamping piston ring blanks axially onan arbor with more force than may be applied by manual methods.

Other objects and advantages relating to the invention will be apparentfrom the description to follow. The invention is further pointed out inthe claims.

The drawings, of which there is one sheet, illustrate a preferred formof my fixture.

Fig. 1* is an end elevational view partially broken away in crosssection of my fixture shown in work tightening position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the fixture shown inFig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a plan view partially broken away in cross section of thearbor and work pieces adapted to be clamped thereon by my fixture.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detailed view of the thread on the end of thearbor.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view along the plane 55 in Fig.2.

In the manufacture of piston rings it is often the practice to form aseries of piston ring blanks with a split or gap cut therein and to thenclamp a stack of these blanks together by first applying. radiallyinwardly directed pressure to close the gaps and then applying axiallydirected pressure on the ends of the stack by clamping the rings on anarbor to maintain the gaps in closed position while a turning operationis performed on the outer surface of the blanks. Since the axiallydirected pressure is the only force preventing the rings from springingopen at the gaps after the radial pressure is released it is necessarythat this axial pressure be extremely high. While it is possible forworkmen to manually tighten nuts on threaded arbors for applying thisaxial pressure, it has been found that toward the end of a work periodthe men become red and either slow down or insufiiciently tighten thenuts thus causing many of the rings to be damaged in the turningoperation.

My wrench is particularly designed to permit 4 Claims. (Cl. 29-269) '10on a bracket ll secured to the base I. conduits I2 connect the oppositeends of the convenient use of air or other fluid pressure for applyingthe axially directed clamping action to a stack of piston ring blanks.The fixture may obviously be used for clamping other items or fortightening nuts in other connections.

Myfixture consists of a base i on top of which is mounted a work holdinghead 2 which is split as at 3 and provided with a manually operable,quick locking bolt 4 and wing nut 5 for locking the two sections of thehead together. The two sections of the head are pivotally connected bypin 6 which also pivotally supports the open ends of a yoke member 1 atthe back of the head.

The center piece of the yoke 1 is pivotally connected to the end of apiston rod 8 which extends downwardly into a double acting air cylinder9. The cylinder is pivotally mounted at Air cylinder with a'three-wayvalve 13 mounted on the side of the base and provided with an operatinghandle 14. An air supply conduit I5 is arranged to supply air underpressure to the valve I3.-

The two halves of the head 2 define a cylindrical passage l6therethrough within which is positioned a split bushing [1, the upperhalf of which is secured to the head by machine screws IS. The bushingI1 is arranged to receive and by closing around a series of piston ringblanks l9 asshown in Fig. 5 to compress the rings until their gaps areclosed as at 20. The split bushing I1 is made removable from the head sothat bushings of different thickness may be mounted in the head toaccommodate ring blanks of varying diameters.

An arbor 2| of smaller diameter than the ring blanks l9 extends throughthe head and is provided with a collar 22 which engages one end of thestack of blanks and a removable end plate 23 which slips over thethreaded end of the arbor and engages the outer end of the stack ofblanks.

One end of the arbor 2| is apertured as at 24 to receive a drift pin 25engageable between the stops 26 formed on the lower side of the head 2.

The other end of the arbor is threaded as at 21 to receive a nut 28 forclamping the removable plate 23 against the stack of ring blanks. As ismore particularly shown in Fig. 4, the threaded portion 2! of the arboris double threaded to provide a maximum of axial movement with a minimumof radial movement. v

The end of the nut 28 defines a series of square tee'th'ZS therearoundwhich are engageable with the jaws of a spanner wrench 30. The end ofthe spanner wrench is engageable with a slot 3| formed in the end of thecross piece of the yoke l. The spanner is provided with right and lefthand hooks 32 so that it may be used either for tightening or looseningthe nut 28. A handle portion 33 is provided for positioning the spanneron the desiredtsideaof theinut.

From-Hithe above description it should be: apparent that the stack ofpiston rings l9 may be placed within the cylindrical bushing I! eitherbefore or after the arbor 21 is passed through the rings. The top halfof the head 2 may then be closed and tightened by; adjusting the wingnut to close the gaps of-the ring blanks. :The:

end plate 23 is then placed around the arbor and partially drawn down byhand with .thenut. 23. A drift pin is then dropped 'throughthe hole 24in the arbor and between stop pinsfiZG- and the spanner 3B is liftedover the head of the nut -28. eAir; pressure is them admitted @to;theiupper aside. for they aircylinders 9 aby -Q1 ratiOI1-;;0f:- -thewaive? handle =14 causing,- pistonrod 8 .to draw down the yoke handtherend of the: spanner,= .30 imparting a clockswiser s or tighteningr0ta tion to :the :nuts 28. It.-.will. be. appreciatedv that Qthe air;pressure willctightenathesnut much,.-tighter vthanacould. be.accomplished by; hand.

After thearborwith the ringgblanksrtherwn is removed from .thez-fixture;and the-turning opera- .i-ionperformedpmthe blanks it may be replaced,ill'v-lthe fixture; as idGSGlibedgfibOVB;and, the upper jaw oft.the-"spanner: engaged -.--with= {the :nut, 28. Application 'oiaaiiypressure ,toa;the.- -lower end of the cylinden'willthen loosen the;nutsonthe arbor permitting its easy disassemblybylhandl I havecdescribed,my;:-inventionin: a-.,-highly practicalembodirnentjthereof as appliedto apar- .-ticul-ar :type of-nwork so,-:that.-.others. may repro--xlucethe same for like-or-similar .typesbf work.

'H-aving thus zdescribed;myi=.invention,nwhatr I claim ;as new-@andzdesireactos securesby aLetters Patent, is:

l. A fixture for applying radial aligning and clampingdorce :toi aserieso,-pist.on rings and for tightening; and loosening, aenut on: anearblorg:exmending-through said-rings to apply axial pressure :to said-ringscomprising, an -arbor..-having a hole. in

one-end thereof and: a-qnutthreaded on theopposite end thereof,said-,nut having radially openingenotches; in the periphery :thereof a-p.edestallike basaya split head onesaid base forming-tanelongatedqcylindrical: aperture adapted'to receive a multiplicity ofsaidw-ringsiwith:saidxarbor arranged, :therethrough: and, havin g; its'two parts pivotally connected, a manuallyoperable-quick actingrpivotally -mounted fy'bOlt for :-;clamping the/parts of saidheadutogether a splitbushsing positioned in-i-saidz'aperture andarranged toengageaand aligndsaid rings 1. whenr'said head '-.closed, :ayoke pivotally mounted -ZOl1 gSZ-idi headpt cow-axiallywith;{the-pivotal; connection of said head, Stop memberszeonwone end of? saidheadi a wpirrradaptedi-ptozqbe passed through 'said:hole in-said arbor'to nonrotatably engage vsaid stops, el -double: acting-fluid pressureicylindei'rpivotallyJmounted-rion-r said base, inqa generally verticalposition/and having its piston pivotally connected tor-the TCIQSS piece-'ofsaid yoke, conduits iorsupplying fiuidunder pressure Vtotthe 581165ofe Sfil ld y1illdr;s3nMfilVeiiQKaSBleC- tii ielycontrollingithe-deliieer iofffluidzte said iconduits, an extensionona-ithegicrossgpiece:ofsssaid yoke forming, a; slotz atstheappnositeeend, ofisaid ,head ,irom said stops; and: aadoublet-j awgspanner 1-angular motion of said yoke by said cylinder.

- 2. -.A;vfixture for applying radial aligning and claimping force to aseries of piston rings and :for tightening and loosening a nut on anarbor extending through said rings to apply axial pressure to said ringscomprising, an arbor having a whole-in one end thereof and a nutthreaded on the opposite end thereof, said nut having radially openingnotchesdn the periphery thereof, a pedestal-like basaasplit head on saidbase forming an elongated cylindrical aperture adapted to re- ,ceiveiamultiplicity of said rings with said arbor arranged therethrough andhaving its two parts .-pivotallyconnected, a manually operablez quickacting pivotally mounted bolt for clamping the par-tsiof-v saidheadtogether; a -split bushingpositioned-in-said aperture and arrangedto-engage and alignasaid ringswhen said head -is.c10sed,.-a

yoke pivotally mountedion said head co-axially v withi-wthe pivotal.connection ofrsaid head,- :stop .members on-one end .of saidhead, apinadapted -,to bet-passed through said hole in said arbor to :nonrotatablyengage said stops, a doubleaeting :fluid; pressure cyiinderapivotallymounted on said base and having its piston pivotally connected :to thecross piece of said yoke-conduits for-sup- ,rplying fluid under-pressuretothe ends of: said cylinder, a valve: =for--selective1y controlling thedelivery-ofv fluid to said conduitaianextension ,on the cross 'pieceofsaid yoke forming a slot at the.--opposite .end of said head from saidstops, and a spanner wrench having one-end-slidablyengageableinsaid-slot and having ahandle, on its other endaprojectingbeyond -itSy J ELW, said 'jaw .beingadapted to selectively engage saidnut on said: arbor: and having, a tooth engageable --with the notches insaidnut for selectively applying bothri ht, and left, hand turningmotion tosaid nut responsive to angular-.motion ofsaid yoke'by saidcylinder.

3. In combination with a fixture for applying radial aligningandclampingforce-to a, series of piston rings Vanda an arbor-- adapted to extendthrough said rings-,to apply axial pressure to said rihgs;;said arborhaving allele in one end thereof and a nut threaded on'the oppositeendthereof,

:said nutghaving radially opening notchesinthe onevend thereof,-adapted, to nonrotatably engage .a rpin passed through the holein said;arbor, 'HlfiGha'nlSln'fOI tightening and loosening ,saidnut comprising,a lever pivotally mounted on said fi-Xture-"at a point spaced fromssaid.arbor, a: double acting fluid pressure cylinderv pivotally "mounted Von; said fixture in agenerally vertical: position and: having itspiston; pivotally connected to .the -.=swinging end of said lever,conduits for supplying :fiuid-under pressure to the ends of saidcylinder,

periphery thereof, said-fixture haying; stops-on a valvei012:selectiyely controlling theldelivery'of fluidsto said conduits,Ithe: swinging .end of said .lever forming a. slot at the, oppositerendofzsaid .head fromsaid stops, and aspanner-wrenchyhaw ing oneendslidably engagea-bleinrsaid slot and having a, handle, on; its-other:end 'a-projecting adapted to engage said :nutpn said;.,arh0r:and

having teeth engaseable with the notchesdnxsaid :nut {i012 selectivelyapplying :both right; :anddeft 5 hand turning motion to said nutresponsive to angular motion of said yoke by said cylinder.

4. In combination with a fixture for applying radial aligning andclamping force to a series of piston rings and an arbor adapted toextend through said rings to apply axial pressure to said rings, saidarbor having a hole in one end thereof and a nut threaded on theopposite end thereof, said fixture having stops on one end thereofadapted to nonrotatably engage a pin passed through the hole in saidarbor, mechanism for tightening and loosening said nut comprising, alever pivotally mounted on said fixture, a double acting fluid pressurecylinder pivotally mounted 'on said fixture and having its pistonpivotally connected to the swinging end of said lever, conduits forsupplying fluid under pressure to the ends of said cylinder, a valve forselectively controlling the delivery of fluid to said conduits, theswinging end of said lever forming a slot at the REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent: 1

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,765,825 Cork June 24, 19301,778,055 Alinder et al. Oct. 14, 1930 1,884,874 Ross Oct. 25, 19322,257,330 Brouwer Sept. 30, 1941

